Heretofore, an exposure apparatus has existed which comprises raw film palettes for removably holding a plurality of raw films, original pattern palettes for removably holding sheets of original patterns and mask palettes for removably holding mask films for automatic photo-engraving process. These palettes are installed in a shelf structure such that they can be withdrawn and moved up and down, and predetermined palettes on the shelf structure are successively moved to the positions corresponding to position on an exposure base so as to partially protrude outside the shelf structure in accordance with a program. Then, a hanger having a sucking disk fixed on its tip is lowered onto the protruding palette. Thereafter, the air in the sucking disk is evacuated to attract one raw film, mask film or a sheet of original pattern held on the palette. Then the hanger is elevated, moved along the upper surface of the exposure base and put into alignment with the position on the exposure base, whereupon the hanger is lowered to the predetermined position. Then, the vacuum in the sucking disk is extinguished to place the carried film or sheet in the predetermined position on the exposure base.
This automatic exposure apparatus is so constructed that a light source for exposure is disposed above the exposure base, and therefore a raw film, sheets of original pattern and a mask film are stacked on the base in this order. Consequently, even when an attempt is made to finally check up a combination of sheets of original patterns and a mask film by projecting light on the combination stacked on the exposure base, no successful result will be produced, because a raw film has been already placed on the base.
Further, any film or sheet withdrawn from a palette must be moved along a complicated path. In particular, it is required that each film or sheet be elevated and then moved laterally along the upper surface of the exposure base. Therefore, the means for conveying the films and sheets from the palettes onto the exposure base is made complicated in construction. In addition, films and sheets on the base are difficult to precisely position relative to the base and relative to one another, thus always necessitating a check on the positioning.
Furthermore, the aforementioned means for conveying those films and sheets is disposed above the exposure base, but the light source is also disposed above the base. Consequently, the space in which the conveying means can be installed is seriously limited and limitations are unavoidably imposed on the design of the conveying means.